In 2002, Canada generated 30.4 million tonnes of waste; of this, 23.8 million tonnes went to landfill (OWMA, May, 2005). Ontario alone generates 12 million tonnes per year, with 9.6 million tonnes going to landfill.

The challenges of municipal solid waste disposal and diversion are increasing dramatically. So is the need for viable, cost-effective and sustainable solutions. Witness the volume of waste going south across the border and the ever increasing costs of current resource diversion efforts. Added to this is the challenge of diverting the remaining 40% to 60% of waste that is still going to disposal.

Landfilling is not the long-term answer to managing our waste resources. Quite simply, landfills are filling up. Our capacity to dispose of waste in Ontario landfills will drop to below 50% by 2010 (OWMA, May 17, 2005 and RIS ICI, January 2005). Bringing new capacity on line can take as long as seven to ten years, if in fact it can be done at all in certain jurisdictions. And while a sizable portion of Ontario’s waste is shipped south across the border, because of legislative changes and economics, this is not an option we should count on.

Most provinces have set waste diversion targets and established diversion programs to divert 60% of waste generated. The Blue Box program has made headway, and other programs (tires, used oil, household special waste and electronics) are under development or in place. However, Ontario by example currently diverts only 28% of its waste from landfill. In short, there is a long way to go before 60% diversion of the municipal solid waste stream is achieved.

Regulations and public pressure add to the costs of MSW treatment – costs that must be absorbed by those managing the waste, but costs that are ultimately passed along to citizens.

The increased pressures and costs of MSW disposal and diversion beg a solution. Downstream Waste Recovery’s SCP technology is just that solution. DWR provides waste generators and haulers with competitive tipping fees. Its process diverts 85% or more of MSW from landfill at a cost per tonne that is equal to or less than most fully costed waste disposal options, and less than other traditional recycling, composting and materials diversion programs. And the SCP process produces valuable resource streams of traditional recyclables and biomass for the manufacture of new products.

DWR has the sustainable solution to the challenges of MSW treatment and diversion – for today and for tomorrow.